Belt and belt connector



Aug. 29, 1939., A. L. FREEDLANDER BELT AND BELT commcwoa Original FiledJan. 14, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ABRAHAM L FREEDLANDER ATTORNEYS.

g- 29, 1939- A. L. FREEDLANDER 2,171,055

BELT AND BELT CONNECTOR Original Filed Jan. 14, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 42 864 ll Bll76 45 2 4 INVEN TOR.

ABRAHAM L. FREEDLANDER ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 29, 1939' PATENT OFFICEBELT BELT CONNECTOR Abraham Lincoln Freedlander, Dayton, Ohio, as-

signor to The Dayton Rubber Manufacturing Company, Dayton,

.Original application January 14,

Divided and this application 1931, Serial No. 153,205

Claims.

This invention relates to belts.

It is an object of this invention to provide a belt comprising aplurality of lengths of belt material provided with longitudinallyinextensible reinforcement, whichlengths are detachably connected toform an endless belt construction.

It is a further object of this invention to provide, in such aconstruction, means cooperating with a longitudinally inextensiblereinforcement of the belt material to connect adjacent ends of thelengths or sections of the belt.

It is a further object of this invention to provide belt connectingmeans for detachably connecting the ends of a length of belt material toform an endless belt.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a beltconnector which is formed entirely of metal.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a beltconnector which comprises a pair of clamping members adapted to besecured by screws to the ends of the belt and which clamping members areconnected by a length of flexible though longitudinally inextensiblearticulated metal mesh having its opposite ends each integrally securedto one of the clamping members.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a beltconnector construction, in which a. cover in the form of a block ofresilient material such as rubber or rubber impregnated fabric or thelike is provided as a covering for the metal mesh.

It is a further object of this invention to provide, in such a beltconnector, a block of resilient material such as rubber or the likewhich is formed in the shape of an analogous length of the belt bodywhereby to provide for substantial uniformity or operation of the belthaving the connector secured therein.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for connectingthe adjacent ends of a belt, which means comprises a block of rubber orthe like having incorporated therein a longitudinally inextensibleflexible reinforcing member and means for detachably securing each ofthe opposite ends of the block to adjacent ends of a belt.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a beltconnector in which the block member is formed in the same shape and ofthe same materials as the belt.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a connectorblock which is adapted to be detachably clamped at each end to an end of2.

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio 1937, Serial No. July 12,

belt by means of screws passing through the block and through thereinforcing means therein.

These and other objects and advantages will appear from the followingdescription taken in connection with the drawings.

This application is a division of my application Ser. No. 120,555, filedJan. 14, 1937.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a belt connector constructed according to theprinciples of this invention as applied to a cog belt;

Figure 2 isan elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a modifiedform of belt connector;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a secondmodified form of belt connector as applied to a cog belt;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the construction shown in Figure 4, but inwhich the connector block of the belt connector is formed of beltmaterial;

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view, in elevation, taken on the line 'I-lof Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an elevational view, in section, taken on the line 8-8 ofFigure 6; and

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of an endless belt constructioncomprising a plurality of lengths or sections reinforced according tothe principles of this invention and connected by clamping means andscrews, as illustrated in Figures 4, 6 and 7. I

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly Figure 1, the beltI is of hexagonal section (Figure 8) and is provided with outertransverse slotted portions 2 and inner transverse slotted portions 3forming spaced outer teeth 4 and spaced inner teeth 5. In order toconnect the end portions of the belt I, a pair of substantially U-shapedclamping members 6 are disposed over the extreme end portions of thebelt I, which end portions include an outer tooth 4 and an inner tooth5. The clamping members 6 are provided at each end with inturned flangesI, one of which is adapted to be disposed in the slotted portion 2adjacent the end tooth 4, while the other flange 1 is adapted to bedisposed within the inner slotted portion 3 adjacent the end tooth 5. Ascrewii extends through an aperture in the outer leg of each clampingmember 6, extends through the body of the belt I and is screwthreaded inthe inner or opposite side of each clamping member 6 in order to securethe clamping members 6 to the ends of the belt I. The respectiveclamping members 6 of the belt connector are necessarily oppositelydisposed and are provided with a connection comprising an appropriatelength of articulated metal mesh 9 having its ends secured by means ofwelding I0 to the clamping members 6. The mesh 9 is disposedsubstantially at the neutral axis of the belt I. Other securing meansmay, if desired, be used to connect the ends of the mesh 9 to therespective clamping members 6.

The belt I may be formed of any suitable resilient material such asrubber or the like or of rubber impregnated fabric which may be rein--forced, if desired, by the incorporation therein of a layer of metalmesh disposed substantially at the neutral axis thereof, as illustratedin Figure '7. The metal mesh 9 is freely flexible about transverse axes,but is substantially inextensible and it is preferred, in forming thebelt connector illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, that the length of themesh 9 be so chosen that the end teeth 4 and the end teeth 5 beseparated at such distance as are teeth 4 and 5 separated in the body ofthe belt.

The construction of the belt connector illustrated in Figures 3 and 5 isthe same as that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, save that the mesh 9,which is preferably welded at its ends to the clamping members 6, isprovided with a covering comprising a block II of rubber or the like ofsubstantially the same shape as a corresponding length of the body ofthe belt. The mesh 9 is preferably incorporated in the body of theconnector block II by vulcanization and, due to the projection throughthe interstices in the mesh 8 of sufficient body material from oppositesides of the mesh, the resilience of the blockI I is substantiallyunimpaired by the incorporation therein of the metal mesh 9.

The provision of the block II in its disposition around the mesh 9provides additional uniformity of operation of the belt due to the factthat the inclined side edge portions of the block I I providesubstantial continuation of the inclined side surfaces of the body ofthe belt I. It is, of course, to be understood that, where it isdesired, the block II may be formed of the same material and in the samemanner as is the body of the belt I, as may'be clearly understood byreference to Figure 7.

The body of the belt I may also be provided with a layer of reinforcedmesh at its neutral axis, as illustrated in- Figure 'I. When suchreinforcement is provided, the mesh 9 of the connector block II issubstantially in alignment with the mesh of the body of the belt andintegral connection is provided between the ends of the mesh 9 of theconnector block II and the endlength of the body of the belt I, beingprovided with outer transverse slotted portions 2 and inner transverseslotted portions 3 which separate outer tooth portions I 4 and innertooth portions I5 respectively. The connectorblock I2 is secured toadjacent end portions of the hell; I by means of oppositely disposedclamping members I 6 which tures in the inner clamping member I 6, asillustrated in Figures 4, 'l and 8.

In the form illustrated in Figure 4, the body Portion of the connectorblock I2 is formed of rubber or like resilient material, while, in theform illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, the body portion of the block I2 isformed of the same material as is the body of the belt I, namely, offabric impregnated with rubber. The belt I, in the form illustrated inFigure 4, may, if desired, be reinforced with metal mesh 9 in the samemanner as is the belt I of Figures 7 and 8.

In Figure 9, is diagrammatically illustrated the formation of an endlessbelt constituted of a pluraiity of lengths or sections 2| which areconnected by means of inner and outer clamping members I6 and screws I8cooperating therewith in the manner illustrated in Figures 4, 'l and 8.The bodies of the sections 2I are preferably provided with a layer ofreinforcing flexible inextensible metal mesh 9, although, if desired,such reinforcement may be omitted.

As will be most clearly understood, by constructing such an endlessbelt, as illustrated in Figure 9, by the use of a plurality of lengths2I, it is possible (where the wear upon the belt is non-uniform withrespect to its length or where a section or length 2I becomes undulyworn) in order to substantially renew the belt, to remove the screws I8extending through the opposite end portions of the worn length orsection 2I, remove the worn section 2|, replace the worn section 2| witha new length or section 2| and replace the removed screws I8 so thatthey extend through the end portions of the newly inserted length orsection 2|.

' It is further to be understood that the length of the connector blockI2, illustrated in Figures 4, 6 and '7, may be substantially increased,when desired, in order to provide for the adaptation, by change oflength, of the belt I to a given drive assembly. While the belt I, whenreinforced by the use of inextensible metal mesh 9 becomes substantiallyinextensible, where this reinforcement is omitted, a connector block I2of substantial length may be inserted in the connection between ,theends of the belt I during its initial use, and, upon stretching of thebelt I, the length of the connector block I2 may be reduced-tocompensate for this stretching or to shorten the effective length of thebelt. Likewise, the shortening of the belt may also be accomplished byshearing away one or more of the toothed sections of the belt proper I.

Due to the free flexibility of the metal mesh 9 about axes disposedtransversely thereof and due to the flexibility of the mesh 9 in theplane thereof, belt connectors constructed according to the principlesof my invention provide far greater flexibility than is achievable inthe use of articulated connectors formed entirely of rigid ornonresilient materials having pintles or hinges such as are well known.The disposition of the mesh 9 in substantial alignment with the neutralaxis of the belt is particularly advantageous when the body of the beltI is provided with like reinforcement as is shown in Figures 7 and 8,because, due

. to the rigid connection between the mesh 9 in the body of the belt Iand in the connector by means of the clamping members and screws, theeffect achieved is substantially the same as'though the inextensiblereinforcing mesh 9 were formed as an endless member. The formation ofthe connector blocks H and I2 into the same shape as correspondinglengths of the body of the belt I produces a belt construction havingmore nearly the characteristics of a uniform and end-belt constructionthan has heretofore been achievable in the art.

By the use of belt connectors, constructed according to the principlesof this invention, a more uniform traction is secured upon the drivenpulleys than has hitherto been achievable and the wear upon the pulleys,as well as shock and vibration imparted thereto, is also substantiallyreduced.

It is, of course, to be understood that the belt may be provided with awrapper of fabric impregnated with rubber or with oil resistantsynthetic rubber or other material where the belt is designed for use inrelations where contact with oil is contemplated. The connector blocksII and I2 may also be provided with such wrappers or covers. It islikewise contemplated that the end surfaces of the belt and/or connectorblocks may be coated with such oil resistant materials to prevent theattack of oil and other materials to which rubber is vulnerable.

By the use of the term mesh, I comprehend any associated metallicreinforcements such as wires and foraminous plates and material otherthan metal having these properties. Nails or other means can be employedinstead of screws.

It is, of course, to be understood that the above described structure ismerely illustrative of the manner in which the principles of myinvention may be utilized and that I desire to comprehend within myinvention such modifications as come within the scope of the claims andthe invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cog belt comprising a plurality of lengths of belt materialreinforced with longitudinally inextensible flexible mesh, said lengthsof belt material having their ends connected by clamping members securedto the end portions thereof by members extending through the mesh.

2. A cog belt comprising a plurality of lengths of belt materialreinforced at its neutral axis with longitudinally inextensible flexiblemesh, said lengths of belt material having their ends connectedby-clamping members secured to the end portions thereof by membersextending through the flexible mesh therein.

3. A cog belt comprising a plurality of lengths of belt materialreinforced at its neutral axis with a layer of longitudinallyinextensible flexible metal mesh, said lengths of belt material havingtheir ends connected to form an endless cog belt, and means forclampingly securing the adjacent ends of the belt lengths comprisingclamping members engaging the ends of said belt lengths and securedthereto by members extending through the metal mesh therein.

4. In combination, a cog belt having a layer of longitudinallyinextensible flexible mesh incorporated therein at the neutral axisthereof, means for detachably connecting the ends of said beltcomprising a pair of rigid clamping members adapted to clampingly engagethe ends of said 6. In combination, a cog belt having a rein-' forcinglayer of longitudinally inextensible flexible mesh incorporated therein,means to connect the ends of said belt comprising a resilient connectorblock and a reinforcing layer of longitudinally inextensible flexiblemetal mesh therein in alignment with the mesh in said belt, and means todetachably connect an end of said connector block to an end of said beltcomprising members adapted to clampingly engage the-end of said belt andthe end of said connector block and secured to the end of said belt andthe end of said connector block by means extending through the mesh insaid belt and the mesh in said connector block.

7. In combination, a cog belt having a reinforcing layer oflongitudinally inextensible flexible mesh incorporated therein, means toconnect the ends of said belt comprising a resilient connector block anda reinforcing layer of longitudinally inextensible flexible metal meshtherein in alignment with the mesh in said belt, and means to detachablyconnect each end of said connector block to an end of said beltcomprising rigid members adapted to clampingly engage the ends of saidconnector block and secured to the ends of said belt and to the ends ofsaid connector block by means extending through the mesh in said beltand the mesh in said connector block.

8. In combination, a cog belt having a reinforcing layer oflongitudinally inextensible flexible metal mesh incorporated therein atthe neutral axis thereof, means to connect the ends of said beltcomprising a connector block formed of the same material as the belt andin the same shape as a similar length thereof, said connector blockhaving therein a reinforcing layer of longitudinally inextensibleflexible metal mesh disposed in alignment with the mesh in said 'belt,

and means to detachably connect an end of said connector block to mendof said belt comprising rigid members adapted to clampingly engage theend of said belt and the end of said connector block and adapted to besecured to the end of said belt and to the end of said connector blockby means of screws extending through the metal mesh in said belt and insaid connector block.

9. In combination, a cog belt having a reinforcing layer oflongitudinally inextensible flexible metal mesh incorporated therein atthe neutral axis thereof, means to connect the ends of said beltcomprising a connector block formed of the same material as the belt andin the same shape as a similar length thereof, said connector blockhaving therein a reinforcing layer of longitudinally inextensibleflexible metal mesh disposed in alignment with the mesh in said belt,and means to detachably connect said connector block between the ends ofsaid belt comprising rigid members adapted to clampingly engage the endsof said belt and the ends of said connector block, said members beingsecured to the ends of said belt and the ends ofsaid block by screwsextendingthrough the mesh in said belt and the mesh in said connectorblock.

' 10. 'A cog belt comprising a plurality oi lengths of belt-materialhaving teeth tormed'on at least one side thereof and having aninextensible meta-l -mesh reinforcement therein, said lengths of beltmaterial having their ends connected to form an endless co: belt. meansoverlapping the ends of said belt portions adapted to connect'the beltportions together, and means Ypassing through said belt portions adaptedto retain said connect- 5 in: means thereon.

